The present invention relates to a cargo deck for a pickup truck, and more particularly to a cargo deck for a pickup bed that slides out of the pickup truck bed.
Pickup trucks generally are designed to carry large loads in the cargo box or bed of the truck. The cargo box is oftentimes equipped with a truck bed liner to protect painted metal surfaces of the truck bed from the weather and/or damage during loading, unloading and/or transport of cargo, and/or to cover surfaces that already have been damaged.
Access to the truck bed is somewhat obstructed by the side walls of the truck bed, bumpers, tailgates and trailer hitches. These obstructions often require a person to bend over, reach and/or climb into the truck bed for loading or unloading purposes. This can reduce a worker""s performance due to fatigue and ergonomically stressful motions and positions performed in unloading and loading the truck. The obstructions around the sides of the truck bed also present problems in providing access for forklift trucks to load and unload cargo in and from the truck bed.
The aforesaid obstructions also make it difficult to access equipment carried in the truck bed. Consequently, the equipment may have to be removed from the truck bed for use. Heretofore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,190 proposed using a track bed extending system including a worktable that can be slid out from the bed of a pickup truck to allow access to tools and supplies carried on the table. This system, however, appears to require the use of invasive fasteners that require holes to be drilled in the floor of the cargo bed at the time of installation and which may be difficult to install. Holes presumably would also have to be drilled in any truck bed liner installed in the truck bed. The holes in the truck bed and/or liner may adversely affect the utility and/or resale value of the truck. Moreover, no apparent provision is made for accommodating different widths of truck beds associated with the variety of pickup trucks being manufactured today.
The present invention provides an extendable cargo deck for pickup trucks or other vehicles having a rearwardly opening cargo bed which is bounded by side walls having inwardly projecting rails spaced above the floor of the cargo bed (which would be the floor of a bed liner if a bed liner is used in the cargo bed). The cargo deck includes a base and a carriage mounted to the base for movement between a retracted (or stowed) position and an extended position with respect to the base. The base is equipped with one or more upwardly extending holding devices for engaging the side wall rails. This arrangement eliminates or minimizes the need to drill holes in the truck bed and/or truck bed liner, and otherwise enables easy and simple installation and use. In most situations where a bed liner is used, the cargo deck is installed noninvasively, eliminating the need to drill holes in the bed liner in order to install the cargo deck. Consequently, the cargo deck can be easily moved from one truck bed to another. The installation and use of the cargo deck also may preserve any warranties that may be in effect for the bed liner and/or the truck bed.
According to a preferred embodiment, each holding device includes an upwardly extending arm for engaging the side wall rail. The height of the arm preferably is adjustable for tightly engaging the side wall rail and reactively urging the cargo deck base against the floor of the cargo bed. Preferably the base and/or holding devices thereof include telescoping members which allow the spacing between the upright arms on opposite sides of the base to be adjustably varied for different sizes of cargo beds. That is, the upright arms on opposite sides of the base can be adjustably moved towards and away from one another to position the upright arms beneath the side rails of the cargo bed into which the cargo deck is being installed. Once in the proper position, the upright arms can be vertically extended and engaged against the side rails, thereby holding the cargo deck in the cargo bed.
The carriage generally has a platform surface provided therewith or is equipped with means by which a platform, such as a sheet of plywood, can be mounted thereto. The carriage can be extended out of the truck bed to provide easy access to the cargo carried thereon. Preferably, the carriage, base and holding devices each are substantially planar, providing a further advantage in that they can be laid flat for compact storage and/or shipping. Additional productivity-enhancing accessories may be used with the carriage and/or platform, including racks, ramps, sliding work tables, tool box holders, ladder racks, lumber holders, bike racks, grocery bag holders, sport equipment holders, clothes hangers, hold-down brackets, etc.
As will be appreciated, various other advantages are provided by various embodiments of the present invention. The aforesaid construction of a cargo deck provides for the installation of the cargo deck without interference with rail-mounted work boxes and/or truck caps, as may be desired. Heavy equipment, such as welders, saws and compressors can be accessed and stowed with significantly less effort, and loading and unloading of the truck bed can be accomplished much more easily. Furthermore, the cargo deck can increase worker productivity by allowing access to the truck bed cargo volume quickly and conveniently, thereby reducing the human performance barrier caused by fatigue and ergonomically stressful motions/positions. The cargo deck may have a wide variety of applications, including use in delivery trucks, as tool supports for the construction trades, general use by a handyman, etc. The cargo deck also may be outfitted with collapsible support legs to form a temporary work table.
In addition, a cargo deck can be installed in a relatively short time, on the order of minutes, without special tools or prior knowledge of trucks. The components of the cargo deck may also be lightweight, and can be installed and used by both men and women. Despite its light weight, the cargo deck may be very strong and generally may be capable of handling loads near the duty-rating of the truck.
The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this embodiment being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.